From home to Lima Peru

When I started thinking about writing about my experience I was worried about not remembering everything. It’s been six years since I went on this trip and a lot has happened since then. Let me say this, journaling day by day as the trip happened was a smart move. That is how I can share the whole trip with you.

*Note- All italicized text is exact excerpts from my journal. They do not reflect my views now, but my thoughts at the time

Theme of day 1: Waiting

3/12/09 5:30am U.S.A home to St. Paul

In 2009 I was a junior in high school and as most things go in high school you get drama, everywhere. This trip started out as no exception to the norm. I had taken a nap on the couch before having my parents drive me to the high school parking lot to catch the bus to the air port.

At this point in time I had a boyfriend(?) who had been the oddest to date. He lived half a mile from the school and had been dead set on seeing me off on this trip. Like an idiot I had told him when we were leaving. I regretted telling him that and called him to say ” stay en su casa, en su cama, dormiendo.” (in you house, in your bed, sleeping.) He was a bobo and walked in the cold from his house to the school and was waiting in the crowd when I got there. I hid behind a classmate to get on the bus.

I thought I was safe, but he caught up with me as I was waving goodbye to my parents from the window. How he got past the teachers and the driver I’ll never know but that says something about safety on school functions, anyone can get on the bus… Anyway he was here. He gave me a note to read later and his gameboy Advance and a copy of the original Pokemon Red game. I decided that no matter how bored I was, I was not going to play the game. Even after he left the bus and we had been on the road for an hour or so I was worried about him getting back home in the dark with below zero weather.

When we left I was sitting with my classmate that I would be buddying with for the trip. When she fell asleep I got caught up in a conversation with the guy I hid behind to get on the bus. He was a friend called Wadsten and his “Spanish” name was Feo. Why he chose a word that translates to ugly as his name I’ll never know. We played a back-and-forth game of categories. At first it was Disney movies we had seen, then it moved to bugs; as this went on I started getting tired.

I woke up when we reached the airport. The group sluggishly hopped off the bus and waited in the area before checking luggage. What we were waiting for I don’t know but it took for ever and airport chairs are NOT comfortable. The process of getting through checked luggage was slowed because some people had forgotten to sign their passports.

Once that was all taken care of the leaders did a head count and we went through security. Without a hitch I might add. On the other side we found our terminal. It was 5:30am.

We waited another hour before boarding the plain. If I remember right, this was my first time on a plane: international or domestic regardless. My seat was E6 and I was seated next to Jillian from my class and another girl.

The take off was beautiful. The moon was still up and the city of St. Paul glowed. And when the sun came up, the cabin was filled with pink and purple light. The time is now 7:40am

3:40pm U.S.A Huston Texas

During the flight down to Texas my left ear decided it was going to come close to popping but never did. While we waited for the layover I finished the paperback I had brought with me, Underworld: Rise of the Lycians. Yes it is a movie but this was the book adaptation of it. Personally I liked the print version better. I had Wendy’s for lunch in the airport and their food wasn’t that great.

On the flight from Huston to Lima I got to sit behind the wing. it promised to be a fun ride. On the seat in front of me a TV screen gave information in English and Spanish, like: Time from Origin, Time to Destination, Distance to Destination.